Practices for Establishing Contract Completion Dates for Highway Projects

Establishing contract time is an important part of the highway project development process because contract time directly impacts project costs, the public, and risk for contractors. This synthesis examines the use of contract time estimation methodologies currently in use at state transportation agencies. The state of the practice was examined through a review of the literature related to setting contract time for state transportation agencies, an online survey of state transportation agencies, and case examples describing contract time estimation procedures at selected state agencies. The key findings of the synthesis are as follows: 1) Most of the contract time estimation methods in use at state transportation agencies are custom developed, state-specific systems that utilize generic job logic and production rates; 2) 55% of the responding state transportation agencies do not formally evaluate the effectiveness of their contract time estimation procedure and 33% are unsure about the accuracy of their system; 3) States in which contract time was estimated in the construction division reported greater accuracy in contract time estimates than states that estimate contract time within the design division; 4) 31% of the respondents have a specific contract time estimation procedure for design-build delivery methods; and 5) Three states have developed contract time estimation methods using regression models rather than production rates and precedence logic, and one state reported that the regression method was more accurate and easier to use than its previous contract time estimation method that used production rates and generic precedence logic. The single greatest area for improvement identified in existing systems was the need for increased feedback and coordination between design and construction divisions in setting contract time.

Language

  • English

Media Info

  • Media Type: Print
  • Features: Appendices; Figures; References; Tables;
  • Pagination: 73p
  • Serial:

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 01632436
  • Record Type: Publication
  • ISBN: 9780309389846
  • Report/Paper Numbers: Project 20-05, Topic 47-09
  • Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
  • Created Date: Apr 20 2017 10:31AM